WEF DRESSAGE CLASSIC
U.S. Riders Impress International Judges
By Mary Hilton

(l-r) Germany ‘O’ Judge Goetz Weber-Stefan and Poland ‘O’ Judge Wojciech Markowski. Photo by Mary Hilton

His colleague Goetz Weber-Stefan (O) of Germany agreed, and added that he had seen a big difference in the past 10 years in U.S. dressage. "There’s a lot of improvement. I’m really impressed." Markowski concurred, "Your country has made phenomenal progress." The WEF Dressage Classic was the final dressage show in the Winter Equestrian Festival Series held at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club. The show featured qualifying classes for the USET Grand Prix Championship/World Equestrian Games Selection Trials, USET Intermediaire I Championship, and Region 3 North American Young Rider Championship

"There were many good rides and many good horses," said Judge Wojciech Markowski (O) Poland, on the final day of the WEF Dressage Classic CDI*** held in Wellington, Florida, March 14-17. "The quality of the horses that you have here is really high quality."

Michelle Gibson and World of Dreams Win Prix St. Georges CDI
and Intermediaire I CDI

The judges were also impressed with Michelle Gibson, 1996 Dressage Olympic Team Bronze medalist, and her stallion, World of Dreams. Judge Weber-Stefan awarded her two 10s for extended trot in the Intermediaire I class which she won with a score of 73.100%. "It was perfect," said Weber-Stefan. "It was excellent and excellent is 10, easily explained. Yes, I think her stallion is a high performance horse and it could be in the future, hopefully, a good team horse for your country. There’s a lot of potential. I think we saw a few good horses, but from my point of view this horse was absolutely outstanding."

Gibson was the highest-point-scoring rider of the entire show in Open CDI competition and in a special ceremony, she was presented with the Diamond Stud Award, which included a .65 carat diamond stud set in a black onyx lapel pin with gold trim and a breeding to the stallion ‘Diamond’. The award is appraised at $4,000 and is sponsored by Diamond Legacy Breeding. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Cannon presented the award.

"It’s about time a man gave me a diamond!" quipped Gibson.

Gibson, who also earned the second highest score in the Open CDI classes with her

70.950% in the Prix St. Georges on World of Dreams, said, "I was pleased with my St. Georges. I had a few little bobbles in there that I knew we could clean up – it’s just a matter of me doing the right thing and him responding to it. Then we went in for the I-1 and he was fabulous. He went in and he was right there. I was very pleased with it. It’s the cleanest test that I’ve ridden this winter season with him. I felt really good about it."

Gibson was enthusiastic about receiving the two 10s. "I mean the horse can trot, I’ll tell ya. And he has fun with it. That’s really where he shines the most."

She said she was pleased to receive the Diamond Stud award. "It’s gorgeous. It’s great that we have sponsors involved in dressage and the riders actually get something for themselves. A lot of times it goes over to the owners."

Since Gibson owns World of Dreams, she "gets it all" including the breeding, but she owns a stallion herself, so will she use it? "I’ll keep it for a couple of years and see what I do with it."

The WEF Dressage Classic hosted over 300 exhibitors competing in 45 classes and offered more than $15,000 in prize money.